Blood transfusions – who can receive blood from whom?

People with blood group 0 Rh - are called "universal donors" and people with blood group AB Rh+ are called "universal receivers." Rh+ blood can never be given to someone with Rh - blood, but the other way around works. For example, 0 Rh+ blood can not be given to someone with the blood type AB Rh -.

Of course you can always give A blood to persons with blood group A, B blood to a person with blood group B and so on. But in some cases you can receive blood with another type of blood group, or donate blood to a person with another kind of blood group. The transfusion will work if a person who is going to receive blood has a blood group that doesn't have any antibodies against the donor blood's antigens. But if a person who is going to receive blood has antibodies matching the donor blood's antigens, the red blood cells in the donated blood will clump. Blood Group Antigens Antibodies Can give blood to Can receive blood from AB Rh+ A, B and Rh None AB Rh+ AB Rh+ AB Rh - A Rh+ A Rh - B Rh+ B Rh - 0 Rh+ 0 Rh - AB Rh - A and B None (Can develop Rh antibodies) AB Rh - AB Rh+ AB Rh - A Rh+ A and Rh B A Rh+ AB Rh+ A Rh+ A Rh - 0 Rh+ 0 Rh - A Rh - A B (Can develop Rh antibodies) A Rh - A Rh+ AB Rh - AB Rh+ A Rh - 0 Rh - B Rh+ B and Rh A B Rh+ AB Rh+ B Rh+ B Rh - 0 Rh+ 0 Rh- B Rh - B A (Can develop Rh antibodies) B Rh- B Rh+ AB Rh- AB Rh+ B Rh - 0 Rh - 0 Rh+ Rh A and B 0 Rh+ A Rh+ B Rh+ AB Rh+ 0 Rh+ 0 Rh - 0 Rh - None A and B (Can develop Rh antibodies) AB Rh+ AB Rh - A Rh+ A Rh - B Rh+ B Rh - 0 Rh+ 0 Rh - 0 Rh -